Pulau Redang’s enchanting beauty with its pristine azure waters and white sandy beaches draw many tourists to spend a few days to relax and unwind here. With good first class accommodation and smaller resorts available, Pulau Redang proves to be a paradise to suit all budgets.

It lies 45 km north of Kuala Terengganu on a 1 ½ hour boat ride from the Shahbandar jetty in Kuala Terengganu and a 40-minute one from the Merang Jetty. Pulau Redang is also about a half hour boat ride from Pulau Perhentian. You can actually have a holiday on both islands in one vacation trip if you want to experience the best of our offshore islands.

Pulau Redang lies in a gazetted marine park area, called the Pulau Redang Marine Park, that also includes several smaller islands. It is administered by the Department of Marine Park Malaysia, which provides special protection and management of marine environments and wildlife of national significance. It offers great snorkeling and diving activities and contains one of the most beautiful coral reefs teeming with tropical exotic marine life in the country.

6 Top Activities At Pulau Redang :

1. Snorkeling in Pulau Redang

Being a gazetted marine park located off the coast of northeast Malay Peninsula, Redang is a bustling centre for diving and snorkelling enthusiasts. Besides the main island, there are also several other smaller islands in the vicinity of the main island. Although Redang has several great snorkelling spots with beautiful corals, guests should know where to head to for the good stuff as the quality of the average site is questionable.

Snorkelling trips are included in vacation packages offered by every single resort on Redang. These resorts also let their guests rent equipment for snorkelling such as life jackets, masks and snorkel, with the whole set costing around RM30 per stay. Snorkelling can be enjoyed by everyone – from children to the elderly and even those who do not know how to swim. Only a few things are required: a life jacket, mask, snorkel and the courage to jump into the crystal-clear waters! Powered masks and child-sized life jackets are available for rental, though these are only available in limited quantities. So, guests who are particular about hygiene as well as the fit of the life jackets may opt to bring along their own equipment instead.

Guides are available on these snorkelling trips to ensure that sites are current-free so guests can snorkel safely, as well as to provide appropriate assistance to guests unfamiliar with snorkelling. Snorkellers are provided with pieces of bread for fish-feeding purpose. Guests who choose to snorkel on their own off the beach should understand the risks of doing so since guides and lifeguards will not be available.

Numerous off-the-beach snorkelling spots can be found on Redang but the majority of them are only accessible via boat.

Snorkelling in Tanjung Tengah Redang

The house reefs found at Pasir Panjang’s Tanjung Tengah are most likely the house reefs with the busiest marine activity. Its southern part is aptly named the ‘Shark Bay’ because reefs in that area serve as a nursery for the young of black-tip sharks. The perfect time to spot these baby sharks is from April to August, as up to 12 of them can be spotted at any one time! Other resident marine species which thrive in the reefs on that area include an orange-striped triggerfish, schooling needlefish, a resident barracuda, squid, a few turtles and other common species of reef fishes.

This house reef has endured a marked amount of damage over all these years due to its high popularity and easy accessibility. The damage is particularly significant at corals closer to the shore as the corals are only submerged in shallow waters during low tides. As such, they are relatively vulnerable to damage during these times when snorkellers, with equipment such as fins and booties, damage these corals when they accidentally kick or step on them. Consequently, snorkellers are no longer allowed to rent fins to prevent further damage to these corals. Snorkellers should take note of a few points to avoid harming these delicate corals: exercise extreme care when snorkelling; keep a safe distance away from the corals; do not put yourself in danger by snorkelling beyond the boundaries marked by white markers as this area is where boats criss-cross across the sea.

Snorkelling in Tanjung Mak Cantik Redang

Situated at the southern end of Pasir Panjang, this house reef spans all the way from the beach in front of Redang Reef Resort to the rocky outcrop to the beach at the back of the resort. There are fewer visitors to this house reef due to its relatively isolated location. One easy way to explore the reef is to get into the water from the beach in front of the resort, then go right as you walk along the rocky outcrop. Keep an eye out for titan triggerfish, squid, porcupine fish, giant grouper, clams, Christmas tree coral, resident stingrays seeking refuge under rocks or table coral, as well as the occasional turtle.

Another way to explore would be to get into the water from the beach at the rear end of the resort. The rocky outcrop should be on the left from this direction. It should be noted that since the other side of the outcrop is facing the open seas, only experienced snorkelers should attempt to go around the outcrop as the waters tend to get quite rough there.

Snorkelling in Redang Marine Park

The title of the most popular snorkelling site rightfully belongs to the Marine Park Centre. Hence, the site can tend to be quite crowded with tourists during the holiday season. The areas surrounding Pulau Pinang’s Marine Park Centre is mainly adorned by hard corals. With a depth of 3 to 6 metres, the Marine Park Centre provides a relatively accessible place for visitors to get up and close with a multitude of different aquatic species. Among the most popular residents which thrive in the PVC pipes of the man-made reef beneath the jetty are the moray eel and the resident giant grouper.

The practice of fish-feeding by travellers to this area has made it a spot with the greatest concentration of fishes in any one place. Damselfish, wrasses, sergeant majors, parrotfish and the resident triggerfish – among some of the species found here – are always hungry and on the lookout for food distributed by the visitors. Travellers should be cautious lest the fishes mistake their fingers for food! Certain species such as adult blacktip sharks and Napolean wrasses can be sometimes seen in waters at the jetty’s western side.

A shipwreck, with only certain parts of it sticking out of the surface of the water, lies in waters on the eastern side of the jetty with a depth of about 8 to 10 metres. This is an interesting place for exploring as structures covered with corals can be found here. Travellers should exercise extreme care to prevent any physical contact with the stinging hydroids as well as to avoid being injured by the metallic structures. A number of crevices and hiding places are formed by the shipwreck, making it an excellent habitat for angelfish, batfish, giant groupers and moray eels. Travellers who swim out towards the shipwreck should keep an eye out for currents, and it is generally advisable to not go there when currents are present. Also, travellers should stay within the areas bounded by white marker buoys to avoid getting swept away by strong currents which often frequent the channel between Pulau Pinang and Redang.

Other Notable Snorkeling Sites in Redang

A house reef can be found around the area in front of Redang Holiday Resort. It is situated among the rocks beneath the resort’s hillview chalets. Travellers who intend to reach the reef should head to the left from the beach at the front of the resort, then walk along the rocky shoreline.

House reefs can also be found, albeit submerged in waters which are deeper, at Teluk Kalong’s resorts. Reefs near Redang Kalong resort’s jetty, which is just right in front of the resort, serve as another nursery for the young of blacktip sharks. Travellers can view the baby sharks from Redang Kalong’s jetty without having to get into the waters themselves, particularly if food is used to lure the creatures. On the other hand, reefs can be found near rocky outcrops which are located on either side of Mutiara resort.

There is a U-shaped bay in front of Teluk Dalam’s Taaras resort. Reefs in that area are found at the sides of the bay while the front bay has no corals as it consists of mostly areas with seagrass and sandy bottoms. Hence, snorkellers who wish to get to the coral reefs must swim further down.

The conditions of these other reefs are better than that of reefs found in Tanjung Tengah and Tanjung Mak Cantik as these reefs receive considerably less visitors than the reefs in those two places. Besides that, other destinations for snorkelling can also be found at Pulau Paku and Pulau Lima as well as some other areas. However, these sites can only be reached via a boat.

2. Beach Exploration in Pulau Redang

An avid beach-goer will never be able to resist Pulau Redang as there are so many good beaches on this island. In fact, it is said there is no single bad beach on Redang. You will find silky smooth, sparkling white sand beneath your feet at all resorts, with the exception being Redang Island Resort. Although debris and pieces of broken coral are deposited on the beach by stormy weathers and strong waves, the sands of the beach are gradually restored over time as new sand is being laid. The majority of travellers would agree that Teluk Dalam has the best beaches, followed by Pasir Panjang and Kalong.

Teluk Dalam Beach

There are two distinct beach stretches at Teluk Dalam. One of the beaches is at Teluk Dalam Besar, a location where there is no operation of resort, while the other beach is located at Teluk Dalam Kecil, which is where Taaras Beach & Spa Resort is. The waters there are calm and crystal-clear, making it a perfect place for swimming. A hilly outcrop separates the two stretches of beach but a road on the hilltop makes it easily connects both beaches. Besides that, there is also a 60-minute jungle path connecting Pasir Panjang to Teluk Dalam Besar’s beach.

Long Beach (Pasir Panjang)

Pasir Panjang is aptly named because it is a long and wide beach with a ‘V’ or birdwing-like shape. The longer northern stretch is formed by one of the wings while the other wing forms the shorter southern stretch, and Tanjung Tengah is the place where both wings meet. A walk from the southern tip where Redang Reef Resort located, to Redang Holiday Beach Villa at the northern tip, would take around 15 to 20 minutes.

Teluk Kalong Beach

Each of the three beaches at Teluk Kalong is markedly smaller than of those at Teluk Dalam and Pasir Panjang. Despite that, you can truly enjoy the beach here to yourself as there are relatively few resorts and travellers at Teluk Kalong’s beaches. The only Teluk Kalong beach accessible from Pasir Panjang is the northernmost beach.

3. Scuba Diving in Pulau Redang

The ‘coral triangle’ is an area spanning from the Phillipines to Indonesia to Papua New Guinea and is known to possess the greatest number of aquatic species on Earth. Up to 80% of these species can be found in Pulau Redang – making Redang one of Peninsular Malaysia’s top dive sites. More than thirty dive sites, suiting all skill levels from beach dives to challenging deep dives, are located in close proximity to the island. There are also coral gardens and wall dives along with sandy bottoms – perfect for macro photography enthusiasts. All of these sites are easily accessible via speedboat.

Leisure dives and PADI dive certification courses are offered by dive centres at most of the resorts. A 4d3n stay is sufficient to complete the theory classes of PADI open water course and open water sessions. Despite that, it is recommended to stay a minimum of 5d4n to allow for a more leisurely pace as well as time for several leisure dives after finishing the course.

Divers can choose to use any of the dive centres, although it is more convenient for them to use the one at the resort they are staying at. Charges of these dive centres differ from one resort to the other. However, be rest assured as the prices do not differ much due to stiff competition between dive centres. The prices for a shore dive and a boat dive are RM60 and RM90 respectively. However, 2- or 3-dive packages are offered by many dive centres. So, a dive would turn out to be comparatively cheaper when included in these packages. Guests are charged about RM160 for one of the ‘discovery dives’.

Popular Dive Sites in Pulau Redang’s Northern Region

There are three dive sites in the northern region of Pulau Redang. The waters at Tanjung Tokong and Tunnel Point, up to 30 metres deep at the deepest point, teem with an abundance of fishes, making them the two most popular sites in that region. The site with the shallowest waters, only 18 metres deep at the deepest point, is Tanjung Lang and Whips, fans and other corals can be found here. These northern spots are located away from the majority of the resorts as well as being very near to Chagar Hutang’s protected beach, which does not allow the entry of visitors due to conservation activities of turtles carried out by SEATRU. As a result, sites in the northern region have among the healthiest corals in Redang.

Tunnel Point

Tunnel Point is named such because structures shaped like a tunnel are formed by the piling up of big boulders. Divers are able to swim through these tunnel-esque structures, offering a unique diving experience not found at other diving sites. Furthermore, divers who pay attention can hear an interesting sound at one point in the structures: a creak sound emitted by a boulder when it is pushed by surf and comes into contact with other boulders. A variety of aquatic life can be found in these structures. Bumphead parrotfish, jacks, nudibranch and small barracudas, as well as gorgonian fans clinging to walls surrounded by reefs covered by soft and hard corals.

Tanjung Tokong (North Point)

Tanjung Tokong is in close proximity to Chagar Hutang’s Turtle Bay. This is an ideal place to be on the lookout for hawksbill and green turtles as it is where the field station of SEATRU is located. Though the waters in this region can tend to get quite choppy at certain times, divers get to feast their eyes upon the large diversity of marine species here, which include snappers, napoleon wrasse, nudibranch, flatworms, jacks, fusiliers and sometimes sharks. Soft coral, sea fans and sponges cover the majority of the boulders in this region. By making sure that the reef is to the left of their swimming direction, divers can swim towards Turtle Bay where there is an abundance of vividly coloured hard and soft corals.

Tanjung Gua Kawah

Tanjung Gua Kawah, sitting at the tip of northeastern Redang, should be avoided by novice divers due to its rough currents on the surface as well as deep-water. Rocks and boulders sink to the approximately 15-metre deep sandy bottom. This site offers an ideal opportunity to see pelagics in the open seas as well as other species of fishes lurking within caves and beneath the overhangs due to currents found in this location. Despite that, it should be noted that the growth of corals here is only mediocre at best.

Popular Dive Sites around Long Beach of Pulau Redang

Pasir Panjang’s Tanjung Tengah and Tanjung Mak Cantik offer house reefs which are suitable for day and night beach dives and discovery dives as well as snorkelling because they are easily accessible to divers/snorkellers. Waters here are less than 15 metres at the deepest point. Here, divers usually get to see baby and sometimes adult blacktip sharks. Besides that, divers peeking beneath table coral and rocks might catch the occasional Jenkins whipray.

Pulau Paku Besar and Pulau Paku Kecil

The twin islands known as Pulau Paku Besar and Pulau Paku Kecil, located quite near to Pasir Panjang, are famous sites of snorkelling. Areas with sandy bottom around these islands also offer divers a good diving experience as pipefish, schooling razorfish and other bottom dwellers can be found here.

Chek Isa (Mini Mount)

Being a reef submerged under the water, which begins at 8 metres and grows all the way down to a 20-metre deep sandy bottom, Chek Isa is distinctly marked by two gigantic boulders covered by various species of hydroids, sponges and soft corals. An astonishing variety of marine life call this reef home. Examples include angelfish, cowries, colourful Christmas tree worms, groupers, parrotfish, schooling batfish, spidershells, wrasses, as well as other reef dwellers.

Divers should keep an eye out for devil scorpionfish as these creatures can camouflage very well on the sandy bottom. The occasional currents, which range from mild to moderate, might provide divers with an opportunity to see pelagics. Divers should also inspect the waters beyond the reefs as adult blacktip sharks can sometimes be spotted there.

Diving here at night is an amazing experience as the waters serve as a habitat to many marine creatures which are only active at night, such as cowries, crabs, eels , spiny lobsters, squids and urchins.

Mak Cantik (Maxi Mount)

Mak Cantik, a mountain rising from the seafloor which is submerged in a water depth of 12-18 metres, is located in close proximity to Chek Isa. Literally translated as ‘beautiful mother’ in Malay, Mak Cantik has a big garden of corals consisting of a large number of hard and soft corals. Mak Cantik is preferred to Chek Isa by many divers because the coral gardens of Mak Cantik are more beautiful and some of them even have captivating coral anemone gardens. Similar to Chek Isa, currents ranging from mild to moderate occasionally sweep through Mak Cantik, and this phenomenon presents divers with an opportunity to see pelagics.

The fish life here is almost the same as that found around Chek Isa since both are quite near to each other. Various different types of fish are found here like rays, snappers and batfish, puffers, schooling yellowtail barracudas, as well as the common ones such as angelfish, blacktip reef sharks, butterfly fish, damselfish, parrotfish and wrasses. As on Chek Isa, divers should inspect the waters towards the reef fringes as sometimes larger rays and white-tip sharks can be spotted.

Popular Dive Sites around Teluk Kalong of Pulau Redang

Tanjung Cina Terjun

Tanjung Cina Terjun, one of the many sites on Redang that I like the most, is the only place in Redang which can rightfully earn the title of being a ‘photographer’s paradise’. It should also be named the ‘City of Eel and Lionfish’ as divers are bound to bump into one of these in this region.

A large number of stingrays inhabit the sandy bottom which encircles the reef. Scorpionfish and stonefish can also be found here, lying against the corals and well-camouflaged with their surroundings. On the other hand, lionfish and porcupine fish seek refuge among sea whips as shoals of large puffers drift about nearby. Various shark species, like small cat sharks, bamboo sharks and leopard sharks, slumber beneath rocks.

Tanjung Cina Terjun provides divers with a marvelous diving experience. The waters here are quite calm and are only a maximum of 18 metres deep so even beginner divers can dive here during the day and at night. There is a fairly high chance of seeing an eel at night if you shine your flashlight into a hole or crevice.

Pulau Kerengga

Two islands known as Pulau Kerengga Besar and Pulau Kerengga Kecil lie to the northwest of Tanjung Cina Terjun. There is an expansive reef here, which is an excellent place for snorkellers and divers with little experience as the waters here are fairly shallow. Whereas Tanjung Cina Terjun is nicknamed as the ‘City of Eel and Lionfish’, Kerengga is more suitably named ‘Ray City’ as the shallow sandy bottom surrounding it is a habitat of many rays and some sharks. Diving should be suitable for novice divers since the waters around Kerengga Besar are fairly calm and shallow and are only up to 15 metres deep. The area between the two islands has a coral garden that consists of hard and soft corals. Divers at the reef may get the chance to see humphead parrots, jacks, tuna, snappers and trevallies. Night divers should be able to find various species of shrimp and crab.

Pulau Lima

Pulau Lima and the seamounts around it are the most valued entity in the marine park of Redang, as indicated in a research conducted in 1976, because the reefs in this region are representative of all of Redang’s reef environments. In other words, the reefs here are considered a ‘Mini Redang’ as it is a condensed version of the entire marine environment in the park.

Pulau Lima, which translates to 5 islets in Malay, can be reached easily from Pasir Panjang’s resorts. Excellent diving sites can be found on the northern, southern, eastern and western tips of Pulau Lima. Big Mount, which lies to the north and Black Coral Garden at the western tip, with wide fields of anemone and other soft corals, are two of the most famous diving sites in Pulau Lima.

Pulau Lima South

A row of big boulders carpeted by sea anemones, hard and soft corals and other invertebrates makes up the southern end of Pulau Lima. Hideouts for lots of reef fishes, formed by caves and grottos, can be found at the foundation of these boulders. On the eastern side, steep walls lined by corals plunge to around 13 metres before gradually sloping away to 30 metres. Whips and sea fans thrive in the deeper waters. Other than fishes that are commonly found in reefs, divers can also keep an eye out for blacktip reef sharks, lionfish, moray eels and puffer fish.

Pulau Lima North

A lot of divers rate “Big Mount” as the best dive site in the area surrounding Pulau Lima. It is situated approximately 50 to 100 metres away from Pulau Lima’s northern tip. “Big Mount” is likely to be around 35 metres deep, making it one of the deeper sites for diving.

A highly reviewed diving destination, “Big Mount” provides divers with an opportunity to catch a glimpse of various types of pelagics like barracudas, blacktip sharks, groupers, tuna and also the elusive whale shark. An encounter with the whale shark would definitely provide divers with an eventful diving experience. The boulder terrain begins at around 20 metres and plunges to more than 30 metres. The terrain is covered with a large variety of gorgonian fans, hard and soft corals, whip coral gardens and sea anemones.

Popular Dive Sites in Pulau Redang’s Southern Region

Terumbu Kili (South Point)

Located at Pulau Pinang’s southern tip and rated by divers as one of the best dives sites at Redang, Terumbu Kili is a rocky outcrop which breaks through the surface of the water and gradually forms a slope downwards to a sandy bottom. It has a depth of roughly 20 metres.

Be cautious of the vigorous surface currents that segregate Pulau Pinang from Terumbu Kili. As such, this site should be best avoided by novice divers. Divers here get to view barracudas, fusiliers, jacks, jellyfish, snappers, shoals of yellowtail and also the occasional blacktip sharks. A number of ledges found on the slope front are carpeted by a coral garden consisting of fans, leather corals, soft corals and whips. Divers are also likely to encounter hawksbill turtles here.

Pulau Ling & Batu Chipor

A tiny rocky outcrop without a beach, Pulau Ling used to be a bustling diving site in Redang in the past. It has two gigantic coral heads shaped like a mushroom. Estimates put these heads at around hundreds of years old. Among the biggest structures of coral off Peninsular Malaysia’s East Coast, the bigger and smaller heads measure 24.5 metres and 23.2 metres around the circumference of their base respectively. Divers can explore these corals as they are submerged in fairly shallow waters of only 10 to 20 metres. Caves situated at the two heads’ bases are a thriving habitat for angelfishes, cardinal fish and moorish idols. Bright orange daisy corals encrust the overhangs of the caves.

Batu Chipor is located at Pulau Ling’s north. A buoy placed 20 metres away from a small rocky outcrop, hardly exposed when tides are high, marks Batu Chipor’s location. Diving should be avoided by novice divers, despite it being a dive that is quite shallow (only 8-15 metres deep), because the currents here can get rough. Fans, leather corals and soft tree corals carpet the rocky wall while lettuce and boulder corals as well as hard staghorn cover the sandy bottom.

Both diving sites receive fewer divers nowadays as boat traffic in these areas has significantly increased.

Pulau Ekor Tebu

Steep boulders of granite, plunging to 24 metres where it meets the sandy bottom, are the main components of Pulau Ekor Tebu’s northeastern tip. There is a cave underwater at a depth of around 20 metres. Expect to see barracuda, batfish, blacktip sharks, pompano, trevallies and sometimes eagle rays, particularly when currents are present. There are also giant clams as well as other shells here.

4. Snorkeling With Turtles

Two species of turtles visit Redang to nest. The most common is the Green turtle followed by the Hawksbill turtle. The nesting period for Green turtles is between March to December with a peak in August. Hawksbill turtles usually nest between January to September with a peak in May. Favourite nesting spots in Redang include Pasir Chagar Hutang, Pasir Mak Simpan, Pasir Mak Kepit, Pasir Bujang and Teluk Dalam.

Although turtles prefer quiet, isolated beaches, there have been rare occasions when they have nested on quieter parts of Pasir Panjang beach. If you’re fortunate enough to see a turtle coming up the beach to nest at night, try to observe it quietly without disturbing it.

The beach at Pasir Chagar Hutang is off-limits to visitors as it is home to a large green turtle rookery. The rookery practices natural incubation, that is, the turtle nests are left in their natural locations on the beach until the eggs hatch. Visitors can snorkel in the waters in front of Chagar Hutang as long as they don’t go up on the beach.

5. Sunrise and sunset

Sunrise is something not to be missed, even if the thought of waking up at 6am in the morning is not your idea of a holiday! Those living at Pasir Panjang or Teluk Kalong have front row seats to a breathtaking view, provided the weather is good and there are few clouds in the sky.

There are no resorts located on the western side of Redang so to catch a sunset, your best option is to charter a boat or sign up for a sunset cruise, available at some resorts.

On a clear night, gaze at the heavens and be amazed at the myriads of stars in the night sky. Look long enough and your eyes will adjust to the darkness, revealing even more stars. If you’re lucky, you might even see a few shooting stars. If you’re into stargazing, bring your star maps or better yet, if you’ve got an Android smartphone with GPS, load it up with Google Sky Map and spot all your favourite constellations and nearby planets. And if you’re a really serious stargazer, bring a telescope – we even managed to spot one of Mar’s moons!

If looking up at the sky is making your neck ache, look down instead. Bring your torchlights and go beachcombing at night, especially if the tide is out. Among the rocks and tide pools you’ll spot crabs, hermit crabs, mudskippers, tiny crustaceans and other small active nocturnal creatures. In some really dark areas of the beach, particularly near Redang Reef Resort, sweep the sand at the water’s edge and you might spot some tiny blue specks of light. Known commonly as ‘blue sand’, these are tiny crustaceans known as ostracods, which give off bioluminescent blue light as a defense mechanism.

6. Jungle Trekking in Pulau Redang

A trek through Pulau Redang’s island trails is likely to be one of the best methods to really get to know more about the flora and fauna on the island, of which several are rare species. However, trekkers looking to see these uncommon species should engage the service of Redang’s trekking guides. A number of the most well-known trekking routes are listed below for the convenience of casual trekkers.

Trek A: The road of the village

This 3km-road (one way) is an easy trek.

This path serves as a link between Kampung jetty and Taaras (Berjaya) resort. A guest at this resort would have gone through this road, regardless of whether one arrives by public ferry at Kampung jetty or flies into Redang via Berjaya Air. This road intersects through the airstrip, the village and the Redang river. Domesticated animals like goats and sheep can be seen along the route. There are also monitor lizards along the banks of the river.

Trek B: The access road at Pasir Panjang

This route is about 1.5km one-way and is quite an easy trek.

This trail is located along the paved road at the back of Pasir Panjang’s resorts. Constructed in 2010, it spans the entire length of the beach of Pasir Panjang and links Redang Holiday Resort and Teluk Bakau (the jetty of Laguna is here). This road functions mainly to ferry supplies and visitors from the jetty to the back of each resort, especially when bad weather makes it hard to do so from the beach in front of the resorts. If you depart for this route from Laguna’s jetty, you should trek left until you spot a big signboard depicting distances to the resorts. Make a right turn and head to the cellphone transmission tower standing by the staff quarters of Laguna. If you are looking to get on this road from Pasir Panjang’s other end, you will need to enter Redang Holiday resort and walk pass the resort’s dining area until you reach the single-storey bungalows. Make a left turn there and proceed along the paved road situated adjacent to the two-storey guest lodgings. A round-trip of one-way using the paved road and the return journey via the front beach is recommended.

Trek C: Pasir Panjang to Teluk Dalam

The trek is about 2km one-way. Trekking on this route is fairly easy but do remember to wear sandals or shoes.

This road acts as a link connecting Pasir Panjang and Teluk Dalam (Taaras is located here). The fairly frequently used and marked road passes through the forest and has several segments heading uphill as well as downhill. To enter this road, keep an eye out for its starting point from the paved road behind Pasir Panjang’s resorts. It should be somewhere between Coral Redang and Redang Bay and is marked by electrical and water conduits snaking deep into the forest. The other end of the route goes through a mangrove swamp and ends at the empty beach situated adjacent to the beach at Berjaya, which is at Teluk Dalam Besar’s far corner. You will pass through huge dipterocarpus trees as you go along this trail. Get a guide from the staff of your resort for guided treks on this path if you are not sure which way to go on this route.

Trek D: Pasir Panjang to Teluk Kalong

This 0.8km trail (one-way) is easy but trekkers should wear sandals when trekking here.

This route links Pasir Panjang to Teluk Kalong’s north beach, the location of Redang Kalong resort. Trek down to Teluk Bakau’s beach from the jetty of Laguna and proceed along around the bay for around 200 metres until you are close to the end. Then, get onto a trail that leads inland and make a left turn towards the beach. You will end up at one end of the beach at Teluk Kalong. Walk along the beach until you reach Redang Kalong resort. At present, there is no clear path linking this section of beach of Kalong to the next beach so you will have to trek a distance of 500 metres across the forest. Once you arrive at Amannagappa, a walkway which circles around the rocky outcrop to Mutiara Resort (which sits on the south of Kalong beach) is available there.

Trek E: Tanjung Tengah

This uphill trail is around 150 metres. Trekkers might find this route slightly difficult. Be cautious when trekking during wet days as the trail could get quite slippery.

Sitting right at the centre of the beach at Pasir Panjang, Tanjung Tengah provides visitors with a captivating view of Pasir Panjang, the sea as well as the surrounding islands. This trekking path is not properly marked and should generally be avoided when it is raining or when the weather is wet. This is because trekkers on this trail need to climb over rocks and it can be quite dangerous since the path tends to get quite slippery during those times. The entry point to this trekking route is near to the end of Shark’s Bay beach (which faces Redang Beach resort). It might be quite hard to spot it as it is only a narrow pathway bordered by huge rocks. You are on the right track if you reach several steep rocks and a blue rope. You need to use the rope to navigate your way up the rocks during the first stages of the climb (it is steeper during these stages). The rope is already worn so give it a test first before using it. There are various branches midway through the climb. Through these, you would reach places which either has a northern or southern view of Pasir Panjang. The Survey and Mapping Department of Malaysia has placed a concrete marker at the top of the climb.

Other treks

If you are a more daring trekker, you can check with the staff of your resort as to how to ascend hilltops and rocky cliffs. These are situated along Pulau Redang’s eastern ridge and they provide trekkers with an astounding bird’s eye view of Teluk Kalong and Pasir Panjang. Trekking trails are also available on Pulau Pinang, the location of the Marine Park Centre. If you plan to wander off the designated track, you should employ a guide to lead the way so that you will not get lost. As mobile signals are now widely accessible on Redang, bring along a cell phone with you when trekking so you can make any appropriate phone calls when there is an emergency.

What to see while trekking

There are two ridges of hills on Pulau Redang: three hills on the eastern ridge and four on the western one. Sungei Redang, Redang’s main river, flows through between these two ridges. Bordering the estuaries in Sungei Redang’s intertidal zone (an area with is neither sea nor land) are one of the biggest islandic mangrove forests on Peninsular Malaysia’s East Coast.

Mangroves have an important ecological role in preserving biodiversity as both aquatic and land species can be found here. They serve as a natural habitat for various crustaceans, fishes and mollusks. It is estimated that at least fifty percent of deep-sea fish spend at least one of their life stages here. Mangroves also play an important role in limiting erosion as they dispel waves which otherwise would cause the soil to erode. A small freshwater swamp forest is located upstream of Sungai Redang. It is only one of two such forests on Redang, with the other at Teluk Dalam. Sago palms are frequently found on Sungei Redang’s banks.

Redang’s flora includes sixteen species of wild orchids, of which some are rare. A study discovered that Teluk Dalam has the highest diversity of orchids on the island. There is also a large variety of traditional plants with medicinal properties on the island. A well-known example would be the tongkat ali. An interesting phenomenon – distorted trees leaning towards the wind’s direction – can be observed on the northeastern shore of the island. This is because the forest vegetation there is constantly exposed to winds, particularly during northeast monsoon seasons when there are high winds.

Breadfruit trees, also called sukun in Malay, possess huge decorative leaves and are found in abundance on Pulau Pinang. These trees were introduced by Pulau Pinang’s early residents. The breadfruit was famously involved in the notorious ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’. During the incident, the crew of the ship ‘Bounty’ rebelled against their captain and expelled him from the ship on a boat. The mutiny happened when Captain William Bligh tried to ship breadfruit trees to Jamaica in order to feed the slaves who are starving there. The breadfruit is a carbohydrate-rich fruit which can be eaten in many different ways – it can be eaten boiled, braised, dried, powdered or roasted. Thin slices of breadfruit are fried to make chips. Thick chunks, however, can be served with syrup and butter after baking or frying them. August is the month when breadfruit trees normally bear fruit. The fruits would attract bats and squirrels along with other local animals.

Compared to the mainland, there is a limited variety of fauna on Redang, as is also the case on other islands. There aren’t any large animals on the island – the largest mammals are likely domesticated sheep and goats. Other fauna found on Redang include such animals like the bashful kancil, macaque monkeys, a few species of rodents, four species of crabs, eight bat species, more than fifty bird species (inclusive of migrant species), different species of lizards (inclusive of the large water monitor) and 84 species of butterflies and other insects.

Dark-necked tailorbird, olive-backed sunbird, pink-necked pigeon, swiftlets, terns and white-bellied sea eagles are a few common species of birds found on the island. Both white- and black-nest swiftlets nest in Redang’s various sea caves and cliffs. Sometimes their nests are harvested for consumption as it is said to possess medicinal properties. Harvesting of the nests is only carried out when birds have left the nests, in order to protect their young and the swiftlet population.